…How you disappoint. Today was my beloved wife’s b-day (we’re both Scorpios), and besides the banana pancakes from Vivian’s, the swanky watch I got her, and a fancy lunch with a dear friend, she got a trip to the newly reopened Griffith Observatory.

The building itself is beautiful as ever. All (okay, most) of the renovation was underground, leaving the original structure unscathed. The views tonight were spectacular. To top it off, this is where I proposed, overlooking her adopted and beloved city of angels [violin music swells…].

Then we went inside [record SCREECHES to a halt].

The Cafe (“At the End of the Universe”) had only cold sandwiches for dinner. Tasty, but come on. Soup, at least? Anyway, then it was on to the exhibits. We started on the West End, which the video on the bus up recommended. The first major room was mostly a bust; several telescopes were mounted, facing a wall — covered with star wallpaper. My wife looked, then bluntly announced, “Stupid displays.” Suddenly, it was a giggle-fest… I looked through a telescope: Sure enough, wallpaper. With LOTS of seams. WTF?? The Tesla Coil was cool, as was the giant-ass pendulum. But {yawn}… It’s nice and all, but I think it’s still mostly a field-trip destination. For us adults, breathtaking architecture and views. But Stupid Displays.